Basic TCM Physiology: Qi

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This is a simplified explanation of how the body gets the Qi it

needs.

 

Food and drink " rotten and ripen " in the Stomach where the Spleen

transforms/ extracts the " Food Qi " (aka Gu Qi). This Qi is not

usable by the body.

 

The Spleen Qi then takes the Food Qi to the Lungs where it mixes

with the Air Qi the Lungs have extracted from air to form Zong Qi.

Marciocia translates " Zong " as " Gathering " , but " Zong " is one of

those Chinese terms that has quite a few translations. Zong Qi is

usable by the body.

 

The final phase of transformation is the " True Qi " (aka Zhen Qi).

The Original Qi acts on the Zong (Gathering) Qi to transform it into

True (Zhen) Qi. (Don't worry about what Original Qi is. An

explanation of that is beyond a simplified post on the basics.) The

True Qi originates in the Lungs just like the Gathering Qi does.

 

The True Qi then takes the form of Protective Qi (aka Defensive Qi,

aka Wei Qi) or Nutritive Qi (aka Ying Qi). Protective Qi is the Qi

that circulates at the surface of the body and gives you protection

from Pernicious Evils (Wind, Cold, Heat, Dampness, and Dryness) in

the environment.

 

Nutritive Qi flows in the blood vessels and in the meridians. This

is the Qi which is affected when one does acupuncture or acupressure

or moxa (burning cones of a certain herb over the acupoints), etc.

 

For the readers who are new to TCM, the thing to remember is that

food and drink " rotten and ripen " in the Stomach, the Spleen Qi

extracts the Qi from the food and drink and carries it to the Lungs

where it mixes with Air Qi the Lungs have extracted to become Qi the

body can use.

 

That part about the Protective Qi giving resistence to Pernicious

Evils in the environment also is important to remember at this stage

of learning about TCM.

 

And a reminder that TCM Organs are not equivalent to anatomical

organs.